Map of Wallis and Futuna | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767 but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959 the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.


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Location: Oceania islands in the South Pacific Ocean about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S 176 12 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 142 km²
Rank: 220
Land: 142 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island) Ile Futuna (Futuna Island) Ile Alofi and 20 islets
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 129 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot rainy season (November to April); cool dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 765 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 7.14%
Permanent crops: 35.71%
Other: 57.15% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: both island groups have fringing reefs


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Population: 15,289 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 220
Growth rate: 0.347% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 169
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Wallisian Futunan or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
Adjective: Wallisian Futunan or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language) Futunian 30.1% French 10.8% other 0.2% (2003 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 99% other 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.7%
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,069/female 5,065)
65 years and over: 7.1% (male 488/female 591) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 27.2 years
Male: 26.1 years
Female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.347% (2009 est.)
Rank: 169

Birth rate: NA

Death rate: NA

Net migration rate: -6.08 migrant(s)/1000 population
Rank: 169
Note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 0% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.02 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 190
Male: 5.27 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.75 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.2 years
Rank: 49
Male: 75.22 years
Female: 81.32 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 148

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 50%
Male: 50%
Female: 50% (1969 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
Local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
Local short form: Wallis et Futuna

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Mata-Utu
Geographic coordinates: 13 57 S 171 56 W
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo Sigave Wallis

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: the laws of France where applicable apply

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY ; represented by High Administrator Philippe PAOLANTONI (since 28 July 2008)
Head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Pesamino TAPUTAI (since 11 April 2007)
Cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
Note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers
Elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 1 April 2007 (next to be held April 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13 other 7
Note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007 (next to be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - PS 1

Judicial branch: justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is located in Noumea New Caledonia

Political parties and leaders: Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

International organization participation: PIF (observer) SPC UPU WFTU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of France)
From the us: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant
Note: the flag of France used for official occasions

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables) livestock (mostly pigs) and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea import taxes and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $60 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 222

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $3,800 (2004 est.)
Rank: 158

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: breadfruit yams taro bananas; pigs goats; fish

Industries: copra handicrafts fishing lumber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 3,104 (2003)
Rank: 216
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry: 4%
By occupation services: 16% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2003)
Rank: 156

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $29,730
Expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 119

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (2005)
Rank: 33

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $47,450 (2004)
Rank: 222
Commodities: copra chemicals construction materials

Imports: $61.17 million (2004)
Rank: 213
Commodities: chemicals machinery passenger ships consumer goods

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3.67 million (2004)
Rank: 200

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007) 94.97 (2006) 95.89 (2005) 96.04 (2004) 105.66 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Consumption: NA kWh
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 2,700 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 219
Mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: country code - 681

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .wf
Hosts: 1480 (2009)
Hosts rank: 154
Users: 1200 (2008)
Users rank: 212

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 (2009)
Rank: 203
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 8
Rank: 122
By type: chemical tanker 2 passenger 6
Foreign owned: 8 (France 6 French Polynesia 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Leava Mata-Utu


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs